Despite some setbacks this season, the Prairie High School girls basketball team is aiming for the state finals

View full sizeJAMIE FRANCIS/THE OREGONIANPrairie's Heather Corral and her teammates have the ultimate goal in mind: "We want to get to the finals at state." The five-time state champions haven't been to the finals since 2006 and last won a state title in 2003.

In the days leading up to the 2010-11 girls basketball season, Prairie junior guard Heather Corral recalls the team sitting around a table, talking goals.

Some teams want to win a set number of games. Others, get to the playoffs or a state tournament appearance.

But the Falcons? They measure the program by state championships and finals appearances.

Of late, it's been a letdown at Prairie. The five-time state champions haven't been to the finals since 2006 and last won a state title in 2003.

"It's been a long time. It's time to win one," Prairie senior guard Angela Gelhar said.

Al Aldridge, Prairie's coach for all but one year since the program started in 1980, said talk similar to this surfaces just about every season for the Falcons. Sometimes, it's not realistic, he said.

"This year, it's realistic. The expectations are high, and rightfully so. They should be," Aldridge said.

View full sizeJAMIE FRANCIS/THE OREGONIANBefore the season, the Prairie girls basketball team -- which includes Angela Gelhar (from left), Kelsey Asplund, Lauren Goecke and Heather Corral -- talked about this season's goal: the state tournament finals.

The Falcons are playing up to their level of talent, which Aldridge says in the backcourt is "as good as any we've had, if not better." Prairie was 17-0 heading into Friday night's game at Camas, winning all of its games by double-digit margins. The Falcons, ranked No. 2 in Class 3A by The Seattle Times, are one of two schools with perfect records (No. 1 Holy Names is the other) in the 3A classification.

Prairie is coming off a season the team would rather forget. In 2009-10, the Falcons failed to win a state tournament trophy for the first time in 13 years. But more publicized was Prairie's historic loss to Camas in the Southwest Washington 3A district finals, ending the Falcons' 136-game winning streak over Greater St. Helens League schools.

"It had a huge impact on the girls," Aldridge said of the Camas loss. "I don't think they want to have that happen again. I don't think they will let that happen again."

Prairie girls basketball

Years when Prairie played for a state championship

1982 L Arlington 46-38

1985 L North Kitsap 50-48

1993 W Fife 46-44

1994 W Battle Ground 40-22

1998 W Enumclaw 68-55

1999 W Lake Washington 51-41

2000 L Kennewick 62-59 OT

2002 L Central Valley 61-43

2003 W Central Valley 44-39

2006 L Lewis & Clark 66-44

The highlight of Prairie's season to date is the ease with which the Falcons won the Energy Classic tournament in Gillette, Wyo., during the holiday break. Prairie won three games by an average margin of 22 points. The Falcons also have an 84-50 win over Skyview, the current leader of the GSHL's Class 4A division. And of course, a bit of revenge, a 65-26 win over Camas on Jan. 8

What separates these Falcons from recent seasons? Seasoning, for starters, as most of the team's top 10 have significant varsity experience. Statistics on this team are close to meaningless; with most of the Falcons' games being one-sided, the bench often logs as many minutes as the starters.

It helps Prairie's chances that Corral is healthy. The 6-foot-1 point guard missed most of last season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery.

Corral, whose older sister Ashley was a McDonald's All-American at Prairie and currently is a junior guard at USC, is a difference-maker because of her height and ballhandling skills.

"Her ability to see over the top when teams pressure us gives us an advantage," Aldridge said.

Corral said last year's knee problem "was a big eye-opener. I think a lot of practices I used to take for granted. But as soon as you don't have it ... you appreciate every day you're out there."

Prairie isn't ideally built. It lacks the inside presence most Falcons championship teams have had. The team's tallest player is Corral.

Aldridge said he expects to run into a team or two during the postseason with a formidable inside attack. It's his hope that the Falcons' withering full-court pressure and superior guard play can overcome.

The playoff season is about a month long, as the 3A district tournament begins Feb. 7 and the state tournament is March 3-5, in Tacoma.